Sweeping machine



y 1935- P. N. EICHI-I-IAMMER 2,006,632

SWEEPING MACHINE Filed 001;. 18, 193:5 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 32 c WHY/V702? 19' Pee/er /V f/k/a/ammer.

770P/VEV y 1935- P. N. EICHHAMMER 2,006,632

SWEEPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //l /V70E 7 F e/er N 5/66 fiammer.

Patented July 2, 1935 UNITE career oer-ice 2,005,632 7 SWEEPING MAGHINE' Peter N. Eichhammer, St. Louis, Mo. Application obtuse; is, 1933, Serial No, 594,025

" l. (oi. 'is-s2) This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in swecping-machines the like. I

My invention has for its chief object the provision of a machine of the class mentioned a rotary brush that to compensate for wear, be readily bodily adjusted relatively to the carriage of the machine for effective ground en agement.

My invention has for a furt -er object the pro vision of a machine of the class stated that may be inexpensively and economically manufactured, that may be readily and conveniently man pulated and the brush rotarily driven in any selected or adjusted position thereof, and which iseffiient in the performance of its intended functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claim,

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevational view of a sweeping- I machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan View, partly broken away and in section, of the machine;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the machine taken approximately on the line Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the machine handle forwardly swung, and illustrating a worn brush in adjusted position for ground engagement; 1

Figures 4 and 5 are detail sectional views of the machine taken approximately along the lines 4- and 5+5, Figure 2, respectively; and

Figure 6 illustrates the inner side of one of the carriage-frames, showing the adjustability of the brush bodily for compensating for wear of its bristles.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, the machine includes a carriage A which comprises a pair of frames 13, 13', each frame B, B, in turn, comprising a pair of approximately oblong-rectangular metallic side-plates b, I), each undercut and formed adjacent its rear end and on a side face with spaced upstanding lugs I. Fitting between the lugs i and bolted or otherwise fixed to the respective plates b, b, as showmare ears 2 upward- 1y presented from a tie-plate 3 seated in the undercut portions of the plates 22, b, for rigidly securing the same together in spaced parallel relation. The inner plates 1) of the respective frames B, B, are also provided with inwardly presented sockets l, in which are sea ed and secured the opposite ends a cross-bar E for'rigidl y, in turn, retai ing the frames B, B, together spaced parallel relation, and bolted or otherwise suit ably fixed to the respective plates 3, are suitable iets in which arearranged for rotation suitable casters 1.

The platesb g bearing-openings, in which is u, and by set-collars or the like 53 secured, an amashaft 9, the plate b" being formed on its inner face and about theshaft 9 with an annular boss or enlargement it counterbored, as at H, -odate a projecting end-portion of the b of frame 13 are formed with hub i2'of a housing-member w ich comprises a disc-shaped body-portion l3 provided marginally with a laterally inwardly presented tread-flange or ground-engaging it, and to facilitate free rotary movement of such member, suitable ball or other non-friction bearings 85 are interposed between the hub and shaft 5.

Formed on the inner face of the disc 13, is a boss or enlargement l5, and 'ilatwise seated upon and, as at 5?, bolted, pinned, or otherwise fixed to the boss 55 and surrounding the hub i2, is a gear-wheellfi.

Having a hub i9 seated on and surrounding the boss and at its outer margin within the confines of the tread-fiange it, as shown, is a disc 2%, which with the flanged member [3 forms a housing for the gear is and its associated parts presently described.

Fixed on and surrounding the hub i9, is a toothed ring 2i, and pivotallyattached to suitable pairs of ears 22, 23, provided on the inner frame-plate b, are arms 24, 25, respectively each cut awa as at upon a side face and at its free end and thereby reduced in thickness to flt between the ring 2! and thevdisc 2t for rigidly securing the disc in housing forming relation with the tread membcr is, The arms 2%, 25, are

preferably yieldingly, as by a coiled spring or other suitable resilient member 25, held in disc-securing co-operation, and, for purposes presently appearing, the upper arm 2t is formed in the cutaway portion of its free end with an arcuate series of teeth 2'! for interlocking engagement with the toothed ring 2 Fixed upon the inner face of the disc 29 adjacent its periphery, is a bearing-bracket 28, and projecting through and at an end having a bearing for. rotation in registering openings provided for the purpose in the disc 20 and bracket 28, is a stub-shaft 29 provided on its outwardly proand suitably secured the opposite ends of a crossjecting end with a non-circular stud 29"on which is fitted a two-part socket comprising a main or body-portion 30 providing a seat or support for ,one end of a shaft 3| forming part, and supmeshing with the gear 18, is a brush-driving pin ion 35. 7

The opposite carriage-frame B is similarly equipped with an axle-shaft 9, on which'in like manner is mounted a, rotary flanged tread-member l3 and a relatively stationary disc Zllfand fixed on the disc 20, is a second toothed ring 2|,

with which and with the disc 20' are engageable a second pair of opposed pivoted arms 24, 25, in the same manner as previously described.

Formed on the outer face of the disc 20, is a socket 36 provided centrally with a stud 31, and fitted for rotation in the socket and on the stud 31 and disposed in opposed registering relation with the socket supported on the stub-shaft 29, is a, similar two part socket-member comprise ing the complementary portions 30, 33, for in likemanner securely supporting the other or 0pposite end of the brush-shaft 3L Upon thejrespective inner faces of the discs 20, 20', are opposed sockets 3 8, in which are seated bar 39 forrigidly maintaining the discs 20, 2B, in

; non-rotata ble relation the one to the other and for unitary rotatable adjustment thereof, for purposes presently appearing, relatively to the treadmembers l3, I3. V f Adjacent their rear end, the opposite plates b 'of the frames B, B, are provided with inwardly presented annular studs 40', on which are pivoted the legs 4| of a yoke 42, fixed to which, as at 43,

is a'manipulating handle-bar 44, an apertured bracket or stirrup formed preferably on the inner plate b of frame B about the stud 40 limiting the swingable movement of the handle-bar 44 relatively to the carriage-frames B, B.

In use and operation, the casters 1 and the rotary flanged tread or ground engaging members I3, 13', enable convenient propulsion or pushing of the machine rollably over the area to be swept,

cleaned, or otherwise worked. On such move- ,ment of the tread-member l3 and its attached gear J8, the brush C willbe rotarily actuated ,through and by the meshingdrive pinion 35.

For effective sweeping or other such work, it will, of course, be understood that the tips of the ibri'stles'of the brush C should be located for ground engagement,and such engagement is very conveniently obtained through the interengaging relation between the toothed rings 2| and the toothed arms 24 and theeccentrio mounting ofv the brush C relatively to the axis of rotation of the tread-members I3, I3, or, in other words, through the angular disposition of the brush C relatively to the shafts 9. V

Obviously, on the arms 24 being lifted out of engagement with the rings 2|, the discs 20, 20',

may in unison be rotarily shifted relatively to the shafts 9 and the brushC, in turn, axially shifted for initially properly locating the bristletips for efficient. sweeping action, the brush C being adjustably secured insuch position on reengagement of the arms 24 with the n'ngs 2|. In likemanner, and as shown in Figure 6, the

brush C may be bodily shifted or adjusted from 1 time to time in an annular path relatively to the tread-members l3, l3, and the carriage during the life of the brush and as its bristles wear'from use for'disposing the worn bristles, for proper ground engagement.

It may be added that, while brush c may be of g any suitable typeand structure, preferably in the present brush C, the bristles 32 are looped about a retaining-wire 46, which, in turn, is spirally disposed about the shaft 3| in a correspondingly formed groove 41. provided for th purpose in the surface of the shaft. i g

It will also ,benhderstoodthat the driving gears I8, 35, are preferably omitted from the 0p posite housing for facilitating turning movements of themachine, that, while not here spe'cifi cally shown, an abrading drum or analogous cleaning, scouring, or other such member could be readily interchanged for the brush C, and that other changes and 'modifications in the form,

construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention,what

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

In a machine of the class described, a carriage comprising a pair of'frames fixed'together in spaced parallel relation, shafts supported in alignment one ,with the other by the frames,

housingseach including a main disc provided marginally with a lateral ground-engaging flange and having a hub journaled for rotation on a respective shaft, and a second disc peripherally loosely embraced by said flange and disposed for rotary adjustment about said respective shaftja cylindrical brushlengthwise disposed intermedi-' ate the frames in radially offset relation to said shafts and carried by the second discs for axial rotation, means for axially rotating the brush on rotary movement of the first discs, and means g for rigidly retaining the second discs in rotarily adjusted position relatively to the shafts, said means comprising a toothed ring fixed on one of the second discs, and a toothed arm pivoted on the respective frames for engagement with the ring.

PETER N. EICHHAMMER 

